The Nigerian government on Tuesday described awarding a multi-billion naira oil pipeline surveillance contract to a former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, the Ekpemupolo government, popularly known as Tompolo, as the “right decision”. .
Speaking at the 49th session of the state house briefing at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday, Mele Kyari, executive director of Nigerian National Oil Company LimitedHe said the decision was necessitated by Nigeria’s need to hire private contractors to run its pipeline network across the country due to massive oil theft.
Mr. Kyari argued that this was not the first time that people within the Niger Delta region had received contracts for pipeline surveillance.
The clarification came amid reports that NNPC Limited had awarded a pipeline surveillance contract to Tompolo.
The surveillance contract is reportedly worth N48 billion per year (N4 billion per month), according to a report by The Nation.
Several militant groups in the region are reportedly angry at the federal government for leaving them out of the lucrative contract, threatening to make the surveillance contract unworkable.
On Tuesday, Kyari said the federal government is not dealing directly with Tompolo, but with a private contracting company in which it has an interest.
“Security agencies are doing their part, end-to-end pipeline surveillance would require the involvement of private entities and community stakeholders,” said Mr. Kyari.
“We need private contractors to occupy the right of way to these pipelines. So we set up a framework for contractors to come in and bid and they were selected through a bidding process. And we think we made the right decision.”
According to Mr. Kyari, the decision was intended to achieve three general objectives.
He said: “First, to ensure that the government security agencies play their role, we have our Navy, the Army and they are doing an excellent job of containing this, but as it does, this sustenance is everything and therefore , we also decided that we need private contractors to occupy the right of way and also operate outside of the right of way so they can also join us in managing community members.
“We don’t have access to that and therefore we put a framework where the contractors were selected through a bidding process for the people who can do it, not everyone can do it and Tompolo is only mentioned, we are dealing with legal entities. .
“He may have an interest in the company, we are not dealing with Tompolo, but we know that he has interests in that company.
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“We know that we are involving all the other people who will help us in this situation. This has happened several times over time and the result was that it was contained in a process like this and we believe we are making the right decision,” said Mr. Kyari.
Okowa speaks
In a statement signed Tuesday by his chief press secretary, Olisa Ifeajika, Delta State Governor and Peoples’ Democratic Party vice-presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa praised the Nigerian government for awarding the contract to a company Tompolo’s property.
The award, he said, indicates that the government listened to him on how to review oil facility surveillance contracts and integrate oil communities to control the growing cases of oil theft, an idea he suggested when visiting a Federal Government delegation on oil theft issues. him recently in Asaba.
He said the state was happy to learn that just days after the visit, the federal government heeded Mr. Okowa’s advice and awarded Tompolo the surveillance contract.
He noted that giving the people of the Niger Delta jobs would give them a sense of belonging and help reduce the rising incidence of oil theft with its attendant effect on the nation’s economy.
Mr. Okowa said that it was high time that the host communities, which are severely impacted by oil exploration and exploitation in the region, were seen as partners in the oil production process.
According to him, awarding surveillance contracts to the indigenous people was the way to go, since they know the terrain well and would do everything possible to protect the oil installations.
“Our governor’s warning was that in order to control the increasing cases of oil theft, the federal government should engage the oil communities, where the oil is produced,” the statement said.
“And, to involve them, the surveillance contracts for oil installations in the area should be reviewed.
“In other words, make them own it, let them be partners because if you make them a part of it, they will watch and watch and protect.
“They will do anything to make sure they protect him, but if you alienate them, they will leave him and allow anything to happen to him.”
Mr. Okowa stated that throughout the Niger Delta, the government’s step was applauded and praised because it is not only for Tompolo but also for the host communities.
“The good thing here is that the federal government listened to good advice in taking the advice of our governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, in awarding the surveillance contract to Tompolo,” he said.
“So, we are congratulating the government for listening to the cries of the host communities, because if they cannot own the oil blocks, at least participate in the ones they can,” he said.